INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION
ITU NEW INITIATIVES WORKSHOP ON
THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
FOR FUTURE MOBILE MULTIMEDIA
SERVICES
Document: MMS/02a
21 June 2006
Mainz, 21-23 June 2006
Opening Remarks
Matthias Kurth: President of the Federal Network Agency, Germany
Check against delivery
Ladies and Gentlemen,
“Time to make friends”. This is the theme of the FIFA Worldcup taking place in Germany now. In this spirit
I like to extend a warm welcome to all off you to this Workshop on the Regulatory Environment for Future
Mobile Multimedia Services. I´m delighted and honoured by the request of the ITU to host this event at the
premises of the Federal Network Agency and to see so many of you here today. And I should like to thank in
particular all those who have not been put off by a long journey. I hope you have some additional time
available to enjoy the special flavour of the atmosphere in Germany surrounding the worldcup. On Friday
one of the major public events starts Mainz, the so called “Johannisnacht”, to honour the inventor of the first
printing machine Johannes Gutenberg, born in Mainz around the year 1400. His invention was a that time the
breakthrough to bring information to the public at large scales and formed the most advanced “media
service”. In 1998 American Journalists elected Gutenberg to be the “Man of the Millennium”. So Mainz is
well suited to discuss the future of multimedia services.
My authority and I by myself recognise the importance of the ITU in overcoming the challenges posed by
globalisation in the area of telecommunications and new information technologies and in achieving the
Millennium Development Goals.
The world of telecommunications is experiencing ever more dynamic change and is one of the main engines
of growths and innovation worldwide. The ITU facilitated and will facilitate this process through
coordination of the different national interests and is the internationally recognised platform for the
development and harmonisation of the telecommunications market through its efforts and the efficient,
targeted integration of sectoral cooperation. This workshop is one activity to reach these goals.
The ITU plays an important role in the further development of the global information society. Promoting
global dialogue and cooperation between member states and sector members fosters the introduction and
spread of modern communication systems for the benefit of society at large, while paying particular attention
to the special needs of developing countries.
The ITU has always played a vital role in helping to level technological disparities. As set out in the Tunis
Commitment for the Information Society and its action lines, the ITU should – together with other UN
Agencies – participate actively in engaging governments, the private sector and civil society to bridge the
digital divide and commit to achieving a truly inclusive information society.
The topic for this workshop is the regulatory environment for future mobile multimedia services. The
convergence of technologies and services places a number of crucial questions to the necessary regulatory
circumstances, for example how to provide sufficient spectrum for innovative technologies in time for their
introduction and how to ensure the interests of the consumers in the future environment.
This development can be attributed to an ever increasing popular demand for mobile telecommunications
services. It is not least the resulting new technical possibilities and the further spread of the internet that will
contribute to greater demand for higher transmission rates in connection with greater mobility in the near
future. This development promotes and accelerates the creation of an “always on” scenario, where everyone
has access to the services and information important to him – anywhere, anytime. Especially the FIFA
Worldcup has pushed this debate in Germany because there was and is a great interest to provide innovative
multimedia services around the worldcup using the tremendous public interest to be part of the event
anywhere.
We must therefore do everything in our power to best promote the international regulatory framework for the
introduction of new technologies that will benefit society, without including unnecessary barriers that lead to
delays which are counterproductive to our society and economy. The mental reconstruction of the regulatory
framework as a preparation for and basis of future decisions and market liberalisation is one of the most
pressing tasks. The greatest challenge in this debate is to define that narrow path between appropriate
flexibility and necessary regulation.
I do hope that this Workshop will help us to develop a common understanding and possibly point us along
the way to achieving this goal.
I wish all of you a very nice time in Germany and good success for the workshop.